Holding It Inside
by Will.Hell.Minna.-Sophia Isobel
Summary: Everyone was going through a rough time.The war was over but for Percy Weasley, another war was at large in his mind. The war of regret and sorrow. He thinks he has a heart of stone. Will he win his own silent war? Will he be able to recover?


Written for **Filch's List of Prompts**

Prompt of Thursday 16th June: **"Heart of Stone"**

Character: **Percy Weasley**

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><p>"<strong>Holding It Inside"<strong>

After the war had ended, everyone was still in chaos. They didn't know whether to celebrate their hard-earned victory or mourn for the lost of so many loved ones. Harry mourned for Sirius' death. He barely got know his godfather. He thought that they would live happily after the war but now, it will remain a dream for Harry. Hermione never left his side the whole time he was crying.

George lamented when he lost Fred to the war. Molly and Arthur grieved but nothing near the way George did. Ron and Ginny tried to give their brother the comfort only they could give. Arthur somehow understood why George cried he way he did. He and Fred were so close that it was as if they could read each other's thoughts since they were young. They knew where the other would be when they weren't together.

Bill was being showered with worry from Fleur who refused to leave his side while he was recovering. Charlie had been by his mother's side the whole time. He tried to get her to focus on other things instead of being depressed and sorrowful like the rest of the family.

As the occupants of the Burrow went through this insane setting every day, one Weasley kept to himself. He neither mourned nor celebrated. He just sat there, locked up in his room, refusing to go out. Charlie and Ginny would take turns bringing up food for him. They knew that he was having a difficult time as well as they did. They knew he would never show how he really felt, that's how he had always been.

Percy Ignatius Weasley or simply Percy had sat in front of his window, silently watching the days pass him by. Everyone would notice him leaving the confines of his room to use the restroom then head back and isolate himself. They didn't know what he was thinking. He was the most secretive of the family. They remembered that they would sometimes catch him whispering thoughts to himself.

Inside his room, Percy would silently sit in his wooden chair, facing the window and just stare out into space. Molly and Arthur tried talking to him but he would simply stare at them then nod. Bill and Charlie tried but got the same reaction that their Mum and Dad got from their brother. Ron and Ginny tried as well, since most of them were already giving it a go. But even the convincing Ginny didn't have any effect on Percy.

Ron talked Hermione into trying. But theoretically speaking, Hermione knew she wouldn't be able to affect Percy. If Molly and Arthur failed, how much more if she tried. She didn't want to face Percy either. There was something about him that she never quite understood. When George had recovered a little, he gave it a go at Percy too.

"You stone hearted bastard! How can you just sit here and not mourn for the lost of your brother?" George yelled at Percy's face before sending his fist to his older brother's face. He actually punched Percy of his chair.

Everyone thought that Percy would fight back when he was on the floor, not moving at all. Percy simply stood up and went back to his chair. George got a lecture from Molly about punching Percy but she let him go. She was also hoping that it would snap her son back. Harry got his share of disappointment when he tried talking to Percy. He simply got a couple of nods and nothing more.

Eventually, they decided it was best to let him be until he comes and talks to them.

A month after the war, Percy moved to stare at his reflection in the mirror. Then for the first time after so many days, he left his room and went down stairs. Everyone was having supper when he came. Ginny was about to bring him his meal when she saw him standing by the wall next to the entrance to the dining area. She was so startled in seeing him there that she dropped the tray she was carrying.

Everyone turned to see what had happened and were in shock to see Percy standing in front of them. He seemed to want to tell them something so no one dared to say anything to give him the chance to speak. Ron and Harry discreetly shifted in their seats.

"I know that I have been unreasonable for the last four weeks. I have no good excuse to say why I was that way. George was right though. I am a stonehearted person. I tried to mourn for losing Fred but I just couldn't bring myself to cry. I wanted to mourn for the lives of friends that Death claimed as the war ended but I just couldn't. I know that I don't even deserve being here at all, not after what I have done to everyone.

My actions were unforgivable and I know I don't even deserve to be treated as if nothing happened. Like I didn't do anything wrong. I know that I did and I thought about them day and night. Sitting in that wooden chair until the break of dawn. Never moving from it at all. Maybe I do have a heart of stone. I confessed that I had made terrible decisions before the war began and it was almost too late to change it. But I was able too. And..."

He paused.

That was when everyone noticed that there was s stream of tears falling from his eyes. Percy was crying. In front of them, the whole family. Hermione, Harry, and Fleur were already part of the Weasley family.

Molly stood up and gave her son a hug.

Arthur stood up next and hugged his son as well.

"You have certain learned a valuable lesson, Perc." Bill said.

"And for the record, you don't have a heart of stone." Charlie told him.

The rest nodded.

"If you want to know why, the answer is simple." George said.

"If you really had a heart of stone, you wouldn't be able to stand here in front of us and say those words you just said." Ron spoke.

Everyone turned to him. No one was really surprised if Ron had said what he did. Being with Hermione the whole time would really help one mature and understand things that matter most. Ron had grown up now.

"I want to say I'm sorry. To all of you. I wish I could change the things I did and make them better. But I can't." Percy spoke again.

Molly slowly shook her head and gave him a warm smile.

"You don't have to change anything. You would never learn if you could have changed the past." She said.

"Things happen for the best. Though it might seem hard to see them at first. But eventually, when we get to see them, that's the time we begin to understand and learn things that we need to know in order to grown as a person and be better for everyone we love." Arthur added.

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Despite the loss of Fred, everyone was happy to have gain back Percy.

Now, he had learned his lesson.

They all hoped that he would try to be a better person.

Not for them.

But for himself.

As he sat between his Mum and Dad, Percy looked at every smiling face that looked back at him.

Even if he didn't know what to do next, he knew that he no longer has a heart of stone.

And that was one thing he was sure of.

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><p><strong>AN: Read and Review. Constructive Criticisms are very much welcomed. ^_^ **


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